Windows 10 Creators Update Givers Users More Granular Control Over Updates And Upgrades

There is no question that Windows 10 is a superior operating system compared to its predecessors like Windows 8.1 and Windows 7. However, policies that Microsoft have enacted in the operating system with regards to things like user privacy and cross-promotion have come under fire. One other area that has been thorn in the sides of users has been Windows 10’s insistence on performing updates whenever it feels like it — no matter what important work you may be doing at the time.

Microsoft is attempting to change its ways with the Windows 10 Creators Update, as the company has announced new policy changes that will gives users more control over how updates are installed on their PCs. For starters, code changes in the Creators Update mean that there will now be fewer reboots when new updates are installed. There are few things more infuriating than broadcasting your game match on Twitch, only to have it interrupted by the installation of updates and subsequent rebooting of your machine.

“Prior to the Creators Update, Windows 10 made most of the decisions for you regarding when updates would be installed and didn’t provide ways to tailor the timing to your specific needs,” acknowledged Michael Fortin, CVP of Windows and Devices Group Core Quality. “What we heard back most explicitly was that you want more control over when Windows 10 installs updates. We also heard that unexpected reboots are disruptive if they happen at the wrong time.”

Microsoft is now giving users running the Creators Update the ability to install updates at a time of their choosing. No longer will Microsoft force its “best judgement” on users when an update will be installed. You will also be given the choice to use the “snooze” feature, which can pause the update process for up to three days. In addition, Microsoft is expanding “Active Hours” so that Windows Update doesn’t interrupt you while you’re in the middle of a presentation or trying to put a bullet between the eyes of an enemy soldier while sniping in Battlefield 1.

We completely “get” where Microsoft is coming from when it comes to trying to ensure that its customers are always up-to-date with the latest OS and security updates. Having a fully updated operating system is essential to providing a frontline of defense against potential outside threats. According to Fortin, Microsoft still “[recommends] that you choose the installation defaults that Windows 10 provides so you will always have the latest features, apps, and security updates.

“However, when you need more control over the update experience, you will have new choices.”